Today is the 16th of August, 2019. Just a day after the most celebrated Independence Day. The entire country was involved in celebrating the 73rd Independence Day. But this time strikingly it was not only all about Independence, but it was also something mingled with Raksha Bandhan. This merging up of these two events has somehow driven my chain of thoughts.
It seems to me as if this merging up of Rakhi and Independence exactly echoed the need of the hour. What we right now need is not just a Nation, but a Nation with Unity in Heterogeneity. The prevailing scenes of violence, brutality, communal hatred has been alarming most of the sensible persons across the country. And standing at this juncture, somehow this mingling of Independence and Rakhi Purnima truly echoes the words of our revolutionary poet Kazi Nazrul Islam ‘Gahi Samhyer Gan‘ (spread the song of equality). Equality irrespective of the cultural, religious, political and social differences.
Let the Independence be the Independence of mind and soul, not just Independence for the country. Somehow this time it makes me feel that Rakhi is not to be celebrated only as an event between brothers and sisters but Rakhi is to be taken as a bond to cherish Humanism. A bond that is losing its influence nowadays and is on the verge of breaking. So after this most significant merging up of this Independence with Raksha Bandhan let us all come forward to protect (Raksha) our mutual bonds with Independent mind and spirit.
“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high… Into that heaven of freedom, my father let my country awake.” – Rabindranath Tagore.